Harry's Pack
by KitKatPotterLover
Summary: Remus Lupin has been waiting with bated breath for Harry's fifteenth birthday. He has a surprise for Harry, a secret that Remus has kept for half of his life. How will Harry react when a secret romance and an enlightening fact about himself is revealed? Hr/Hp pairing, werewolf Harry. starts fifth year. Animagus transformations.
1. Chapter 1

Harry's Pack

Author's Note: This is admittedly more of a prologue than a first chapter but I figured it would just be easier to call it the first chapter. This story is almost completely AU because I have a weird mind and I just want to see where I can go with this craziness that I thought up. I already have 7 chapters written out completely and 2 chapters typed up so that I can post a new one every week without falling behind (hopefully). Thank you all for your support, and I'd love to hear what everyone thinks of this. Reviews are always appreciated!

Chapter 1: Lily's Secret

My Dearest Harry,

I pray that you will never have to read this letter, and that I will be able to tell you all of this myself. Unfortunately, with Voldemort gaining power by the hour and a target on our family, it is very possible that I may not even survive this night. For your safety, I have made an unbreakable vow with your fathers to keep this secret until you have read this letter on your fifteenth birthday. That is probably the easiest piece to explain, if not the shortest explanation.

Harry, you have two fathers. Loving James Potter was a choice I made when I was tired of saying no to him every five minutes, and could no longer think of reasons to refuse him. Loving Remus Lupin was destiny that I found painful to continue fighting.

James and I had been dating for just over a month when Remus ran into several problems. Most of those problems were financial, and the issues based more in an emotional upheaval lead to an even worse financial crisis.

He chose to lean heavily on Sirius for a while, and Sirius never had an issue supporting Remus financially. Then James and I ran into issues of our own. Maybe it was because we had just come out of the honey moon phase of our relationship, the fact that up until our first date I had a dreadful image of James and he had me on a pedestal, we had a romanticized view of relationships due to our lack of experience in the dating world, and our youth, or it could have been any number of reasons that could fill up a twenty page list, but to make it short, we began fighting constantly. We would argue non-stop, and several of our verbal battles would last for days, even weeks. The topics of the arguments were silly, petty things and we knew it, none of it was relationship ending in severity; but it was a constant and impossible to ignore strain on both of us that was tearing our relationship apart and neither of us wanted to break up over it.

That was when Remus stepped in and helped us see reason, connected the mental and emotional dots, really opened our eyes to our differences, our similarities, and what we needed to do if we wanted to get the most out of being together, rather than clash against each other over and over. To make a long story short, Remus became our mediator and we became his therapists. By the time we were all about to graduate, James had asked me to move into a house with him. I agreed immediately and suggested that we invite Remus to come along with us.

Of course, James jumped at the idea to have one of his best friends living with him as well as me and he agreed without hesitation. Remus ended up moving in and living with us in a nice house James inherited from his parents. But, only a couple weeks into living in our new home, things began to change.

I found myself slowly but surely falling for the sweet, attentive, occasionally brooding and lonesome werewolf. I didn't love James any less, nor was I any less resolute in spending the rest of my life with him. He'd asked me to marry him the night we moved in and I had not once doubted my choice in agreeing! However, I felt more and more ashamed of myself every day because I had a loving fiancé that I was mad for, yet I also craved the very thought of being with Remus too.

Eventually, I decided that enough was enough when it came to tormenting myself over the two men I wanted, and tested Remus to find out if any of my mental torture was even warranted. I almost lost my nerve and ended up asking Remus straight out if he had any feelings for me, after promising that whatever was said would stay between us. When he admitted that he did indeed care for me in a romantic fashion, I knew it was time to put together a plan.

I was desperately in love with two men and they both loved me in return. So, a month and a half after my conversation with Remus, I approached both men with my head held high. I admitted that I loved them both, that I didn't want either of them any more or less than the other, and I demanded that they either love me together or not at all.

Thankfully they both agreed and there was almost no hesitation in accepting my proposal. We were happy for a long while. In an effort to keep the anti-werewolf stigma off of us, we didn't tell anyone that Remus was part of our relationship. So, Remus claimed me privately as his mate and James married me publically in a beautiful ceremony with all our friends. It seemed as though nothing could go wrong.

Of course, I had to be stupidly stubborn and follow Remus and James when they went out for their full moon run. There had been several arguments between the three of us about whether or not they would help me become an animagus, and because of the risks that come with it, James refused to guide me and they both demanded that I stay at home during the full moon and keep safe. I refused because I didn't want the two men I loved risking themselves every full moon with people trying to kill werewolves. I probably should have just listened to them, but I didn't. That night that I followed was the night Remus turned me. Even with the wolfsbane potion and James trying to hold him back, Remus could not fight the urge to make his mate like him. He bit me before he could stop himself, and the moment he realized what he had done he ran off.

James quickly got me to Hogwarts, asked for me to be treated by Madame Pomphrey, and demanded that no one be informed of what had happened. It was to protect me, to keep me from being hunted as I had feared Remus would be. As soon as I was being helped I told James to find Remus. I woke up the next morning to Remus crying over me as if I were dead. He was horrified by what he had done, and more than remorseful. James was angry that I had gotten hurt but could see that I was recovering just fine and had no issues with my new status as a werewolf, just as he hadn't cared when he found out about Remus.

That of course leads into the more complex explanation. You were conceived shortly after I was turned, a child of two werewolves and an animagus. When you were born and placed in Remus' arms, your eyes glowed golden for several moments. That was how we knew you had been born a werewolf.

Born Wolves are special Harry, rare and powerful beings that are feared, admired, and consistently hunted in an effort to be studied. You will not transform until the first full moon after your fifteenth birthday, you will have full control of yourself when the wolf takes over, and though the full moon will force your shifts, you are not tied to it. You, unlike every other werewolf, can unleash the wolf at any time that you wish.

You have a long road ahead of you my brave baby boy. It breaks my heart that I will be unable to care for you myself for many reasons. All I ever wanted in life was to fall in love and be a mom, and now, when I have everything I want, I will likely have to give all of it up and I just don't know how to comprehend that. All that helps me at this time is the thought that no matter what happens you have a bright future ahead of you, and hopefully I will be able to watch over you. It isn't the same as what I want for you and for us both, but it's better than nothing, and that's what's most important.

I hope that you can forgive me Harry, and please don't be angry with James and Remus. I was the one that demanded that this be kept from you for your own safety. No one knows about me, no one knows about how I am involved with Remus, and no one knows your true parentage beyond James and I. If anyone discovered any of it with ill intentions, you would be in terrible danger. You are special Harry, you are very special for several reasons, a good few having nothing to do with how powerful you are. You are special because you are truly loved by so many people. Don't ever forget that. You are a third of my heart and soul Harry, split evenly between you and the only other men in my life that I have loved, James Potter and Remus Lupin.

I love you, be safe, be brave, and never forget how special and loved you are.

All my love,

Your mother,

Lily Lupin Potter.

Lily took a deep breath as she folded the letter and placed it inside an envelope. She heard a crash downstairs and James shouted up to Lily to take Harry and run. Remus crashed through the door, his eyes wild. "Lily, what are you doing? We have to go!" He shouted.

Lily wiped her tears away, stood, kissed Remus a final time, and placed the envelope in his hand. "Stay safe Remus. I love you. Our son will survive the night, you have my word."

Remus' eyes widened as Lily took a deep breath and activated the portkey she'd made out of the letter in case of emergency. "Lily No!" Remus cried and attempted to lunge forward in an effort to grab her, but it did him no good. He was pulled away before he could even think of reaching out to her.

Lily's eyes began to water and she rushed to her baby's crib. "Harry," she whispered softly. "Mama loves you, your fathers love you, Harry you are so very loved. Please remember that. Be safe Harry, be brave. I love you so very much."

Baby Harry reached up toward his mother and Lily smiled at her baby boy for what she was sure would be the last time. "Step aside foolish girl."

Lily schooled her face and turned toward her husband's murderer. She refused to leave Harry with a bad example, and therefore refused to beg for her life. "Not my son you evil bastard. Kill me if you must but leave my innocent baby boy." Her voice was devoid of fear, she stood proud and strong, ready to die in an effort to protect her son, but even if that was to be her fate, she would not go down without a fight.

Voldemort's blazing red eyes bore into the proud muggleborn witch's. "There is no need for you to die my dear. You have the rest of your life to have another child, and perhaps even with one of my many death eaters, all you have to do is stand aside and join my cause."

Lily shook her head and raised her wand. "I'll not stand idly by and allow you to kill my son."

Remus fell to his knees outside of the leaky cauldron. He had watched James die, unable to help. His best friend, his brother in all except blood was gone forever. Lily, his mate, he could feel her death. The moment she took her last breath, Remus' heart nearly stopped for good. There was nothing left for him without Lily… except… yes, he could feel that Harry still lived. His son was still alive.

For now, that would be enough for him. That would be enough to carry Remus through the rest of his life. Remus could keep living if Harry was alive and safe. So with a heavy heart and an audible sigh, Remus stood himself back up and began to walk, not sure where he was going, and lacking any care for what his destination would be.


	2. Chapter 2

Harry's Pack

Author's Note: I have just now finished typing up chapter 3, this last week has been hectic and I temporarily lost motivation, but that motivation has officially been restored and I plan on getting a lot done today. In the mean time, I hope everyone enjoys this chapter! I do not own Harry Potter!

Chapter 2: Fifteen at Last…

Harry James Potter was in a foul mood. This was nothing new for him as of late. Admittedly, he had been angry almost all summer, and he wasn't entirely sure why anymore. Of course, he had reasons to be angry, several in fact, and he was well aware of each of those reasons. His previous year at Hogwarts had been spent participating in a tournament he had not entered, and ended with him witnessing the death of a friend and fellow competitor. He spent the entirety of his summer from the beginning until now plagued by nightmares, annoyed by his relatives, and taunted by his dope of a cousin's gang. And through it all he had gone without a scrap of news.

The light at the end of the tunnel for Harry turned out to be three amazing people. Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Hermione Granger were all that kept Harry going at this particular part of his life. Sirius, the godfather Harry had only recently discovered he had, wrote to him nearly every day. Their conversations were mostly about Harry's departed parents, what it was like to be a dog half the time and their mutual frustrations toward Harry being stuck with the Dursleys.

The letters from Remus were a bit of a shock at first, but after the first week of exchanging letters had gone by he found himself to be rather joyful upon receiving letters from the were-wolf a few times a week. Usually the pair would discuss Remus' worries about Sirius and his drinking problem, the same frustrations that Harry and Sirius had about his current living condition, as well as Harry's sudden curiosity in regards to lycanthropy. Whenever the subject of Remus and his furry problem came up in conversation, Lupin would slip back into the role of enthusiastic Professor toward Harry, the eager young pupil.

Yet Harry's favorite person to speak with by far was Hermione. Whether it was her paranoia about her grades, mundane complaints about her parents, or simply asking how each other were doing, everything she wrote lifted Harry's overall disposition exponentially. He often found himself too excited to breathe right as he read whatever it was she wanted to discuss with him.

At first Harry hardly noticed the difference in how he reacted to Hermione's letters. When he finally did realize just how excited he got simply because he had received a letter from his best friend, his first instinct was to panic. Harry was convinced that he couldn't like Hermione in that way. It just wasn't right, it wasn't okay, that was simply not how things were supposed to go for him. But it seemed that telling himself he shouldn't like Hermione in a romantic fashion didn't stop his heart from skipping a beat every time he opened up an envelope containing one of her letters. Nor did he stop collecting said letters and stashing them in a hidden compartment of his school trunk. Eventually, Harry simply accepted that he had feelings for Hermione and he decided to keep it to himself. Accepting something did not necessarily mean that it was right in Harry's eyes and truth be told, he was terrified of being rejected by the brightest witch of their age.

But, even with near constant contact with his closest friends (other than Ron because he was not a big fan of letters, which Harry had understood for years), Harry could not seem to make his anger vanish for long. Every time he ran into one of his relatives his blood would boil. When Dudley's gang taunted him outside of the house it took all of his restraint to keep his fists balled up in his pockets instead of burying his balled up fist in the skull of his cousin. Any given moment when his aunt or uncle would scold Harry for no reason or pile on extra chores just because he existed tested Harry's restraint drastically. He bit his tongue day and night in an effort to not cause a fight that would likely end with him being kicked out. It wasn't that he wanted to stay, quite the opposite actually, but he didn't exactly have anywhere else to go.

So that left him lying on his old, lumpy mattress on his fifteenth birthday staring at the ceiling. He wished that Hermione were there with him. He desperately wanted her to magically appear in his room, preferably dressed in something intentionally provocative so he would have a justifiable excuse to stare at her. Harry was sure that red was an excellent color for Hermione and that she would look stunning in a blood red dress.

He could almost picture her perfectly in his mind's eye, until he heard his cousin yell out that he was going to be spending time with his friends outside. Dudley's voice broke through Harry's concentration and destroyed the lovely image Harry was beginning to form of Hermione. The ruined thought switched around to something that Harry would have been appalled at if he weren't already used to thinking it up.

It was Dudley that popped into his mind now. But not a normal every-day look of the great lump of lard. No, it was his mangled, massacred corpse that Harry imagined. Though it was a bit shocking considering Harry's big heart, he couldn't help enjoying the thought of a bloody and broken Dudley lying at his feet. In his mind, the overgrown, blond Gorilla's skin was slashed to ribbons by what Harry assumed to be either knives or claws. His were frozen open in terror. One of Dudley's arms was torn clean off his body and his head was barely hanging on, very similar to Nearly Headless Nick, with the exception that Dudley's near-decapitation was far more gruesome.

Harry was almost ashamed of how much satisfaction he got from that horrendous image. He knew he shouldn't like the thought of his cousin hurt or dead, that it was wrong, and typically against his character, but it also wasn't normal for him to be lusting over his best friend and almost constantly angry. Nothing was normal for Harry anymore. He'd come to understand and simply accept that.

That was why he decided to open up his window and climb out of when he heard the front door slam shut. Harry was angry to say the least. He was jealous of his cousin, he needed fresh air, and he wanted to get into trouble. He was fifteen today, damn it. Why shouldn't he go out and have fun? So what if he got into a bit of trouble along the way?

As soon as his feet his the ground, Harry was on the move. He had no idea where he was going, and he didn't really care to figure it out until he reached his destination. It wasn't exactly a surprise that he ended up in the park. He made a bee-line for the swing set and quickly took a seat, waiting for someone, anyone to pick a fight with him.

There had been a time when a swing set made Harry feel free. He was soaring through the air, flying away from his problems. But that was before he'd ever ridden a broom, before he knew what it was like to TRULY soar through the sky. Now the swings were just a hollow childhood memory that had lost their magic. Harry sighed and kicked at the rocks at his feet.

"Oi! Check it out Big D! Look who's here!" Harry heard a voice call out annoyingly. He looked up to see five kids his age walk up to him in a fashion they probably believed to be menacing, but in all actually resembled clumsy gorillas. Among the teen misfits that Harry had spent several years avoiding as best as possible, was Dudley.

Harry shook his head and stood up, crossing his arms over his chest. "What do you morons want?" He asked. The teenage wizard was well aware that it would do him no good to provoke the violent morons that made up Dudley's gang, but he couldn't bring himself to give a single fuck about it.

Dudley cracked his knuckles and balled up his fists as a warning to Harry. "What did you just call me?!" He shouted at the much smaller, yet far more enraged young man in front of him.

Harry smirked and leaned back against the frame of the swing set. "You bloody well heard me you big oaf. What're you waiting for? You're usually always amped up for a fight. Aren't I your favorite punching bag?" As Dudley shook in front of him, Harry laughed. "Oh, I forgot. You don't fight fair. You're going to wait for one of your gang members to come up behind me, grab me, and hold me down before you man up and pummel me." The look of Dudley red in the face and nearly vibrating with how fast and angry his shaking was. "But you already know that won't work because none of them are fast enough to catch me. So I can say and do whatever I want."

For a moment, Harry was surprised when Dudley still hadn't drawn back his fist. But then his attention was grasped by a voice he'd been imagining for weeks. Dudley even stopped his shaking and turned toward the sound of the voice. The moment Harry saw the woman that had spoken his name, he was sure he was imagining her again. But there she was, Hermione Granger of all people, nearly strutting up to him across the decaying grass.

"Hermione Granger," Harry said softly. "Well isn't this a delightful surprise. What are you doing here, Hermione?" He asked rather cockily once she was close enough to hear him.

Hermione rolled her eyes and smirked at him as she placed her hands on her hips. "It seems as though you've been a bit," she paused for a moment and temporarily turned to look at Dudley before looking back at Harry. "Understandably reckless this summer Harry. Padfoot and Moony decided to bring you somewhere that will no doubt feel more like home. I insisted that they bring me with them," she added softly and placed a hand on Harry's arm. "I wanted to see you."

Harry nodded. "I'm glad you did come with them, I missed you. Out of curiosity though, are you living with them now?" Hermione nodded slowly. "What about your parents?" He asked.

Hermione sighed and shrugged. "They aren't in the picture anymore," she admitted softly. "They kicked me out, claimed they could no longer handle how much I had changed since I came home after first year. Your godfather and his best friend were kind enough to give me a place to stay.

Harry nodded and pulled Hermione into a hug. "I'm sorry Mione," he said softly. "Where are they?"

"Right behind me. They have a couple of their friends gathering your belongings and transporting your feathery friend to our safe house." The two of them slowly let go of each other and Hermione smiled at Harry. "Happy Birthday, Harry."

Harry smiled brightly. "Thank you Mione. You look amazing by the way." She did indeed look good. Her bushy mane had been polished into wild curls instead of a frizzy mess. She seemed a bit slimmer too, but it could have looked that way simply because she didn't have on baggy clothes for once. Gone were the bulky jeans held up by belts and the over-sized shirts that concealed her body so frustratingly well. Instead, she stood before Harry in black skinny jeans, a blood-red, velvet tank top, and black boots with three inch heels. Harry couldn't deny that he also found her new attitude and obvious boost in confidence very attractive.

"Harry!" Both teens turned to face the sound and saw Remus walking up with Sirius beside him in his dog form. "It's a good thing Miss Granger has such impeccable intuition," Remus said jokingly. Hermione took a step to the side to make it easier for Harry to hug Remus. Remus was the first to let go and take a step back. "Look at you," Remus said gesturing to Harry with a smile. "Bloody hell! It's not every day your young man turns fifteen now is it?" He asked brightly.

Harry smiled in response. "It's good to see you too Moony, but are you legitimately taking me away from the Dursleys'?"

Remus sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Yes, we are Harry. Your godfather and I have told Dumbledore to sod off on this particular issue. We've been wanting to take you from here for a long while now, and after your last few letters we said enough is enough. So, here we are. Are you ready to get comfortable in your new home?" The werewolf asked nervously.

Harry turned to face the shockingly silent Dudley, and nodded. "I've been ready to leave ever since Dumbledore placed me on the ground in front of my relative's front door." He turned back to Remus. "Please get me out of here."

There were smiles all around as Hermione reached forward to hook her arm through Harry's and the group of four walked away (Padfoot on all fours in his dog form) from Harry's old, miserable life. What Harry didn't realize was that his life was about to change far more than he could have ever possibly imagined.


	3. Chapter 3

Harry's Pack

Author's Note: I'm going to warn everyone ahead of time, it's going to take several chapters for Harry and Hermione to come together as a couple, but there's going to plenty of romantic tension between them until then. I'm on a roll transitioning my written pages onto my computer, so I may update sooner than once a week.

Chapter Three: Secret's Shared

Grimmauld Place was dark, dingy, cold, and depressing in appearance, not to mention the mounted house elf heads on the walls… that was overwhelmingly creepy all on its own. Yet as far as Harry was concerned, even a place as unwelcoming in appearance as his godfather's current residence was more of a home than his aunt and uncle's house. Speaking of the animagus in question, Sirius finally shifted back into his human form and stretched his arms over his head as he let out an audible yawn. "I know, I hate how depressing this place looks, but Moony and I have been working on making it a little less dreary every day." He looked over his shoulder at Harry and smirked. "It's gotten to be almost cheerful looking in comparison to when we started."

Harry heard a bang upstairs followed almost immediately by two distinctly different shouting voices. "Sirius Black! Remus Lupin! Where HAVE you BEEN?!" Molly hollered as she hurried down the stairs directly in front of the group of four that had just arrived in the house.

Harry was almost soothed by Molly Weasley's shrieking, scolding voice, but the second voice made his skin crawl and his blood boil. "Filthy mudbloods and blood traitors in my house! Vile and disgusting vermin! Stains on my household! The very foundation of my Blood line!"

Sirius rolled his eyes and ran a hand through his hair. "Damn it Molly, can you possibly not get that bloody portrait of my mother going?" He asked and flicked his wand, sending a spell up the stairs, which thankfully shut up the screeching woman.

Molly reached the bottom of the stairs and placed a hand over her mouth. "Harry?! Oh, Harry dear, it's wonderful to see you sweetheart, but for goodness sake Sirius, Dumbledore told you to wait!"

Sirius smirked at Molly, completely unfazed by her tone and expression. "If you're going to scold someone your own age, which I highly discourage you from doing in the first place, direct it at the werewolf. I may be a rebellious git down to the very core of my being, but this particular excursion was his idea, not mine. I merely tagged along. This one's on Moony, not me."

Harry turned to look at Moony in shock. He knew they had gotten to be closer friends through exchanging the many letters they had, and Harry had even begun to see Remus as a sort of father figure, which he deemed to simply be a typical reaction from never getting to know his own father, but he never expected that the werewolf friend of his father was the one that decided to take him from his aunt and uncle's house in the first place.

Molly opened her mouth to speak, likely to rip into Remus until his entire psyche was nothing more than shattered rubble, and was instantly silenced by Remus' raised hand. "Molly, to say that I am not in the mood would be an intense understatement." Harry was taken aback by the commanding tone Remus used while speaking to the Weasley matriarch. "Whether you want to see it or not, I am always the rational one out of the rag-tag team of remaining marauders. It may not be the most rational or well-liked plan to bring Harry here ahead of schedule, but as always, I do have a reason." Molly narrowed her eyes at Remus, almost as if glaring at him would convince the werewolf to explain himself. "A reason I am unwilling to share with you, because it is my business, and will soon be Harry's business as well. Not yours. Now, I would suggest that you make yourself useful, rather than sticking your nose in other people's business. Your assistance would be of greatest use helping Sirius clear out any dangerous artifacts his family left here in the attic while I show Harry where he will be staying."

Harry had never seen Mrs. Weasley look so utterly flabbergasted before. "Remus," she began softly, "surely you must understand how foolish it is to undermine Dumbledore-"

"What I understand," Remus interrupted purposefully, "is that this is Sirius Black's house and he has put me in charge of the building and guests when a meeting for the order is not in progress. If you are uncomfortable with doing what I request of you, I suggest you collect your broken family and search for another place to live. If you can swallow your pride and take orders from a werewolf and a half-mad animagus, get your irritating self up to the damn attic and start cleaning. Now."

Molly's face and chest glowed bright red with rage, yet she still turned around and marched up the stairs, stomping so hard Harry feared her feet would slam straight through the wooden steps. Sirius chuckled as soon as she turned the corner. "It's about time someone put that bossy bitch in her place, I'm just sorry it wasn't me."

Remus shrugged. "There's only so much of her domineering attitude anyone can take. Confidence and command in a woman is very attractive. She's just plain annoying and repelling." The werewolf turned ever so slightly to face his long-time best friend. "I do need you to go up behind her and keep an eye on what she does."

Sirius bowed dramatically with an intense smirk on his face. "As the almighty werewolf commands!" He cried and winked before running up the stairs after Mrs. Weasley.

Harry couldn't help laughing at his godfather's antics. Remus smiled affectionately at Harry and gestured to the stairs. "The bedrooms are upstairs. Sirius and I already set up something special for you. Shall we?" Remus asked softly.

Harry nodded and began his trek up the staircase. Hermione came up behind him and surprised her best friend by jumping on his back as if she'd been offered a piggy back ride. Harry was almost shocked that he so easily caught her and held Hermione against him in the perfect position for a piggy-back ride, along with maintaining his balance. "My room is next to yours," Hermione whispered in his ear. "Carry me?" She asked softly.

Harry chuckled. "Well it's not like I'm going to just drop you, so I guess that means I'm carrying you."

Hermione giggled. "Fair point Harry, and thanks, you're so sweet!" She kissed his cheek and they both laughed.

Remus was admittedly amused by the teens' interactions with each other. He didn't regret telling Hermione about his connection to Harry, and what was extra special about him that the young man had yet to discover about himself. It was clear that she could never see her best friend as a monster, which was only confirmed in this particular moment, and when she immediately demanded that she be given mandrake leaves and begin animagus training with Sirius. She ended up surprising him and Sirius with how quickly she advanced through her training. Hermione had finished her month with the leaf in her mouth and was almost done brewing the potion, with very little help.

Moony suspected that she would probably transform shortly after the new term begins. The trio stopped outside a door baring a gold plaque with Harry's name engraved in it. Harry let out a gasp of shock as Remus opened the door for him. Inside, the walls were Gryffindor red with countless and erratically positioned gold lion heads. There was a four-poster bed with curtains that matched the walls, a rather nice looking desk, and a wardrobe. All of the furniture was Cherrywood with gold detailing any and everywhere that made sense.

Remus smiled at the look on Harry's face. "I chose the furniture, Sirius forked over the money to make it happen. I hope the two of us working together put something together for you that you like."

Harry nodded as Hermione slid off his back and kissed his cheek a second time. "Have fun," she commented and Harry turned to face her. "I'll be in my room. I'd like to change into something more comfortable. I'll likely be reading for a while if you want to stop by later." Harry watched her walk out, failing to feel any shame with his eyes nearly glued to her arse. He almost grumbled with disappointment when she shut the door behind her.

Remus cleared his throat rather audibly in an effort to regain Harry's attention. Harry quickly turned to face Moony and his embarrassment hit him directly in that moment. Remus smiled knowingly. "You'll have plenty of time later to ogle your best friend, Harry. For now, you should probably unpack your belongings and let Hedwig out of her cage."

Remus quickly left the room, leaving Harry with his thoughts and the task he had been given. The werewolf then travelled up to the attic and announced his presence to a quarrelling Molly and Sirius by clearing his throat loudly. Both turned to face him, the witch's face a violent red that matched her hair, and the escaped prisoner sporting another cocky smirk.

"Molly," Remus said with a rather demanding tone. "I'd appreciate it very much if you would prepare dinner for yourself, your family, and Hermione. Please also leave three plates for Harry, Sirius, and I for later. We will be eating privately a good bit later into the evening."

Molly placed her hands on her hips and huffed at Remus. "I don't appreciate being ordered about like a house elf-"

"Neither do Sirius and I, and I'm thrilled that we can all agree on that. Furthermore, I did not give you an order just now. I made a request. If you want me to give you an order, I will do so gladly. But in all honestly, I would much rather leave it at a polite request that you graciously accept. So, which are you going to choose? Polite request, or rude demand?"

Mrs. Weasley huffed again as she crossed her arms under her chest. She thought for a moment and sighed. "I'll go cook dinner," she mumbled and hurried out of the attic and down the stairs."

Sirius whistled his approval of Remus' attitude. "Damn Wolfy, you're on fire tonight. What side of who's bed did you wake up on?"

Remus shrugged. "I can finally tell my son the truth about his parentage and the gift he inherited from his mother and myself. I don't have any tolerance for Molly's attitude, bossiness, or negativity. Tonight is all about my son."

Sirius nodded and placed a hand on Moony's shoulder. "Don't panic if his reaction isn't the best from the get-go." Remus nodded with a sigh. "On a far more positive note, can you sense the bond between the pup and Hermione?" He asked with a smile.

Remus nodded with a wolfish grin of his own. "Of course I can sense it, he's my son and I'm a bloody werewolf! I know what it looks and feels like when a wolf claims a mate."

Sirius chuckled. "It's hilarious, isn't it? He doesn't know he's a werewolf, has no idea he claimed his best friend as his mate on unconsciously, and he's too naïve at this point to realize that she's begun animagus training so that he won't be alone on full moons."

Remus nodded, smile still plastered on his face. "It really is insanely amusing. The two of them are almost a perfect match even without the claim, can you imagine what they'll be like once they both fully accept it?" He asked, genuinely curious.

Sirius chuckled. "They'll need effective contraceptive, locking, and silencing charms. I highly doubt either of them will want to leave which ever bedroom they choose to bunk in for anything other than a bathroom break or food."

Back on the floor below the attic, Harry was standing outside of Hermione's room, his hand poised to knock. Something was holding him back, while something else just kept pushing him forward. He was torn, half of Harry wanted to run back into his room and pretend he still felt only friendship toward Hermione, while the other half wanted to knock Hermione's door down, toss her on her bed, and shag her through the mattress. Hence the stance he was stuck in, standing in front of the door to the woman of his dreams, ready to knock at any moment.

He took a deep breath and finally rapped his knuckles against the door to gain Hermione's attention and ask for entry to her room. "Come on in," she called out. Harry quickly opened the door and stepped into her room, shutting the door behind him. The moment Harry saw Hermione, his jaw nearly hit the floor. She was seated on her bed, leaning back against her pillows, her feet tucked under her. She was still wearing the tank-top from earlier, but her boots were gone and the skinny jeans had been replaced by what Harry assumed were black, silk Pajama pants.

"Hey Harry, do you need something?" She asked politely as she shut her book and placed it on her nightstand.

Harry gulped uncomfortably. "Just wanted to chat for a little while. It was amazing exchanging letters for a while now, but I feel like I probably missed out on a lot and I'd love to catch up."

Hermione nodded and smiled, waving Harry over to sit with her. "I'd love that too. I'm sorry I kept you in the dark about a lot of things… Pleas believe me Harry, it wasn't my choice to keep anything from you. No one was allowed to tell you much of anything because of Dumbledore. I would be more than happy to bring you up to date on everything that's been going on."

Harry smiled and sat down at the foot of his best friend's four poster bed. "Alright then, update me," he said almost jokingly before his expression turned more serious. "Where the hell are we, why does Dumbledore want me in the dark, and has Fudge made any move against Voldemort yet?"

Hermione sighed. "Well, your last question is easiest to answer. Fudge not only hasn't started fighting yet, he refuses to admit that Voldemort has returned. He's even attempting to smear anyone that says anything to the contrary. The two people he's been attacking most frequently are you and Dumbledore. The stories tend to stay off the front pages, but they're littered all throughout the newspapers." She paused when she noticed Harry's look of horror. "I know, he's horrible, and I hate even thinking about all these horrible things he's doing and planning, I really do. As for the house… well, it's technically Sirius' family home, and he lent it to the Order of the Phoenix, a secret society that Dumbledore formed to fight against Voldemort when the murdering bastard first rose to power. He reformed the order in an effort to fight against him again. And Dumbledore wanting to keep you from knowing any of this… none of us know for sure, but no one likes it."

Harry nodded and sighed. "Well damn near all of that sucks… What happened with your parents?" He asked.

Hermione bit her lip. "The first couple weeks I was there, I was depressed. After everything we had all gone through last year in school, I can't think of anything else I could have experienced as far as emotion went, except anger, and fear. My mum and dad kept trying to talk to me about it, help me get beyond whatever was hurting me, stuff like that. But they refused to listen to anything having to do with magic. They believe that magic and Hogwarts has been ruining me." She sighed softly and gathered up her emotional strength. "Eventually I went off on them, accused them of not truly loving me because they can't accept my being a witch. They claimed that I don't love them because I won't stop being a witch for them."

Harry shook his head. "That isn't fair of them. Being magical isn't a choice, it's part of who you are, it's a part of you that you're proud of, and it isn't right for your parents to demand that you try being a muggle just because they have an issue with magic."

Hermione nodded and Harry reached forward to wipe away a stray tear that was sliding down her face. "Anyway, I told my parents that I cannot renounce my magic and that I will always be a witch, whether they like it or not. They didn't take it well…" she admitted and she began to shake as her quiet tears turned to sobs. Harry moved quickly, pulling Hermione into his arms and onto his lap, embracing her comfortingly and whispering in her ear that everything was going to be okay.

What Harry and Hermione were unaware of was Remus' and Sirius' presence outside of Hermione's door. They had no idea that the werewolf and animagus were listening in on the conversation. Neither Sirius nor Remus had felt comfortable asking Hermione about the exact reasons for her need to leave her parents' home, the subject always brought tears. Now they felt awful for not being there for her.

"T-they t-to-told me I-I-I was-s-n't th-their d-d-daughter a-any-anymore!" She cried, her face against Harry's chest. Harry tensed and held Hermione tighter, silently swearing to himself that if he ever met Hermione's worthless excuses for parents, he would make them regret disowning their daughter. Each and every one of Hermione's tears was agony for Harry as they landed on him. It tore him apart to see her in so much emotional pain.

Eventually the tears stopped and Hermione relaxed into Harry's arms with a heavy sigh. "How do you do it, Harry?" she asked softly. "You've told me countless times that your relatives openly dislike you. How do you accept it and keep it from taking over how you view yourself?"

Harry sighed softly and gave Hermione a crooked half-smile. "You want the truth?" He asked. She nodded and looked up into his eyes. "You. You're the reason I can ignore my relatives. You, Padfoot, Moony, Ron, a few of our other friends, all of you remind me that I'm not just a freak. First year I had no confidence. Seeing you cheering me on at every Quidditch game, caring enough about me to help get me through the protections for the sorcerer's stone, and insisting that I was a great wizard when I felt like a complete failure. That kind of support and encouragement can build anyone up to let go of the negative image them have of themselves." Hermione nodded and looked down at her feet. Harry tilted her chin up until their eyes met. "Let me do that for you now."

Hermione sighed. "How do you plan to do that, Harry?" She asked.

Harry smirked. "Reminding you on a daily basis that you're bloody brilliant and powerful and the best friend anyone could ever have." Hermione bit her lip softly, and the two teens slowly began to lean towards each other. "If your parents can't see how utterly outstanding you are, they don't deserve to be in your life." They leaned closer to each other without realizing, lost in one another's eyes. "You're the most amazing young woman I have ever had the pleasure to know, as well as the most impressive intellectual and a beyond powerful witch, probably the strongest and most determined witch I have ever met."

Hermione smiled softly. "Do you really think that, Harry?" she asked.

Harry nodded, his smirk shifting into a shy half-smile. "Absolutely."

They leaned in even closer to each other, their noses almost touching, but before they could say anything more, or do anything more, the teens heard a knock on the door. The door opened just enough for Remus' face to be visible. "I hate to interrupt, honestly, but Mrs. Weasley is preparing dinner, Hermione."

Hermione nodded and sighed. "I'll see you later, Harry." She maneuvered herself out of Harry's lap and kissed his cheek yet again before hurrying out of her room.

Harry got up himself and walked out of the room, but Sirius took hold of his shoulder gently when he began to follow Hermione down the stairs. He turned to face his godfather and Remus, quirking an eyebrow in confusion and giving both adult men a suspicious glare. "Am I not eating with everyone else?" He asked.

Remus shook his head. "No, the three of us will be eating together once everyone else clears out of the dining room. I have some news to share with you, and it's a rather sensitive subject, very private. And no, I don't mean what you've missed during the summer while you've been stuck with the Dursleys, which I assume Hermione has graciously caught you up on."

Harry nodded slowly. "I'm guessing you're not going to tell me until we're eating?" He asked.

Sirius nodded. "We can't until then, honestly Harry. I'm not even supposed to know. I had to nearly skin Moony alive to get it out of him."

Harry's eyebrow was quirked again and he smiled as Remus punched Padfoot's shoulder. "And I've regretted it ever since because you can't keep your mouth shut to save your life!" He grumbled.

Harry chuckled. "You're both mad as hatters, and I hope you know that. What's the plan while we wait to eat anyway?" He asked.

Remus shrugged with a smirk on his face. "Sit in your room and chat maybe?" He offered up weakly.

Harry rolled his eyes and the group of three walked into his room and got comfortable. Sirius summoned up a bottle of fire whiskey and three wine glasses. "Are you ready for your first drink pup?" He didn't wait for an answer as he started filling up the glasses. "Don't worry, neither of us are going to report you for underage drinking. You're two years away from being legal anyway."

Harry turned to Remus, hoping the more rational marauder would throw in an opinion. "You'll need it Harry. Trust me, you're truly going to need it." With approval from both his godfather and his adult friend, Harry could find no reason to refuse and decided to simply gulp down about half of the drink in front of him.

Remus sipped at his own fire whiskey. He, Sirius, and Harry spent over an hour talking and laughing. He actually had a bit of hope that things would go well tonight. Eventually, they made it down the stairs and into the dining room.

Finally, Remus was ready to tell his son the truth. Harry was pleasantly buzzed, they were secluded, most of the household would be asleep soon, and the doors were sound proofed. So, after fifteen years of waiting, Remus took a deep breath and pulled Lily's letter, one of very few things he had to remind him of her, out of a pocket in his robes and handed it to Harry. "Harry, your mother left this with me to give to you on this day specifically. I think it's time you were finally told the truth, and I apologize whole heartedly that I could not tell you myself."


	4. Chapter 4

Harry's Pack

Author's Note: This chapter is a bit shorter than the previous one, and my apologies for that, but I've got something special coming up next. Something super special!

Chapter Four: The Truth Is Out

Remus watched as Harry's eyes swept over the letter, praying that he understand and remain calm. The moment Harry finally looked up from the pages he was holding, his hands shaking slightly, a large chunk of Remus' hope evaporated.

"Alright," Harry said slowly, hanging on to his restraint with desperation. "Let's try to get through all of this one explanation at a time. Question number one, what's an unbreakable vow?"

Remus took a deep breath. "An unbreakable vow is a magically bolstered promise that is tied to your life. If an unbreakable vow is ever broken, your life is taken as payment."

Harry nodded slowly. "So you didn't tell me any of this before now because if you broke your vow you would die?"

Remus nodded. "Correct. I would have died and you would have been in far more danger than you have been in for most of your life, Harry."

Harry took a deep breath. "Next question. What's so different and special about born werewolves? What's the difference between born and bitten?"

Remus smiled ever so slightly. "The biggest differences are abilities in all honesty. Born werewolves have two forms that they can change into when they transform. We typically call them the true wolf and the in-between. Whichever form you take depends on your own mental and emotional state. Anger, fear, a desperate need to protect someone or something will usually result in the in-between, when your body is a mixture of man and wolf. If you're more relaxed, excited in a good way, happy, or just blank for the most part, you'll be a rather large wolf." Harry nodded and gestured for Remus to continue with his explanation. "Another perk of being born a werewolf is that you will have complete control over your mind and actions as a wolf when you transform. You'll mostly just be further influenced to act as a wolf when the moon forces your change." Remus paused for a moment and took a deep breath. "I recently gained control without taking the Wolfsbane potion, but it took a great deal of concentration, time, energy, and trust in myself. You don't need any of that, you're simply gifted with total control."

Harry briefly smiled. "Okay, why haven't I transformed yet?" He asked.

"Born werewolves don't transform until the first full moon after their fifteenth birthdays. By fifteen puberty has begun and the body is more susceptible to change and adjusts easier. Although I must admit that I thought your change may come early.

Harry cocked his head to the side, much like a confused dog would. "Why is that?"

Sirius barked out amused laughter, drawing Harry's attention. "Think about it for a minute pup, would you say you've been angrier this summer, more aggressive lately than you've ever been before?"

Harry reluctantly nodded, knowing that he'd already sent them both several letters talking about how angry he felt on a regular basis. They already knew, there was no point in denying it. "Well yeah, but I don't see how or why that matters. I figured the aggression was there because I was angry over last year and being kept in the dark this summer."

That got Sirius laughing again, which led to Remus knocking Padfoot's chair over, sending the animagus toppling onto the floor. "Bad padfoot, no biscuit…" He said with a smirk and winked at Harry. Harry couldn't help smiling back at Remus. "It makes a lot of sense for you to come to the conclusion you came to, Harry. You have every reason to be enraged beyond comprehension over everything that has happened recently, but the aggression you have been dealing with really is because of your werewolf genetics. Your inner wolf is waking up, and it's behavior is usually a manifestation of everything we keep locked up. You may be a sass master with a legitimate attitude and admirably clever sarcasm, but you typically avoid looking for an unnecessary fight. I can't say that's true now, can I?" Harry shook his head. "Exactly. There are a few other obvious signs…" He admitted.

Sirius, having just finished setting his chair back up and re-seating himself, grinned. "Yeah, that's a great way to try skirting around the fun part." He turned to Harry. "Pup, did you start exercising regularly, or did you just wake up muscly?" He asked.

Harry gulped. "I haven't exactly… I don't… I didn't… Is there anything else I should know?!" He cried, feeling weird and vulnerable and extremely frustrated.

"Yeah," Sirius began. "You unconsciously claimed Hermione as your mate, Moony and I both approve of the choice you made. Congrats."

Harry's jaw hit the floor. Moony's face was in his hands, and Sirius ended up back on the floor, this time from his own laughter knocking the chair over rather than having Remus shoving the chair backwards again. "What's that supposed to mean?!" Harry shouted.

Remus sighed. "Please stay calm Harry. When I first met you and Hermione on the train in your third year, I sensed a bond between the two of you that was very similar to the one I shared with your mother. Some time before your third year at Hogwarts your inner wolf woke up long enough to lay down the beginnings of a claim on Hermione."

Harry was shaking. "Claimed her as a mate? Why would I have done that, and how the hell could I have done something I don't remember or understand?"

Remus shrugged. "It's an instinct son, we have very little control over it, and just because you don't know what you did doesn't mean you didn't do it. Think of a time when you felt so protective of Hermione you thought it would kill you to lose her."

Harry gulped as a memory overtook him. "Second year… she was petrified… the first time I visited her without Ron, I just, I got this strange feeling… I don't know how to describe it…"

Remus nodded. "Your inner wolf must have taken over for a moment, seen her, searched your memories of and emotions for her, and chosen her to be your mate."

"And what does that mean for me? What am I expected to do with that information?" Harry asked.

"Tell Hermione you like her, start dating her, most likely end up married to her in the future."

Harry shook his head at his… father's… words. "I can't do any of that!" He insisted. "She doesn't like me that way! Hermione would instantly reject me!" Sirius made a move to tell Harry he was wrong but Remus shook his head at the animagus. "Besides, what if I scared her off just telling her that apparently I'm a bloody werewolf?!" Harry's question was met with awkward silence. "She… she already knows, doesn't she?"

Remus nodded slowly. "She heard Sirius and I talking about it and insisted that we help her become and animagus so you wouldn't be alone during the full moon. Miss Granger truly is the brightest witch of her age. What took my friends three years to accomplish has taken two months for her so far. I think she'll be finished with the process shortly after the two of you return to Hogwarts, if not sooner."

"How am I supposed to deal with this? What do the two of you expect from me now?" Harry asked with a sigh.

"All I expect is for you to let me teach you how to thrive as a werewolf and to forgive my reluctant silence. I truly had no choice in the matter, son," Remus insisted.

Harry shrugged and let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. "I'm not angry," he admitted softly. "And I really do understand, but my entire life just got turned completely upside down. For my entire life my parents have been dead. Ever since I entered wizarding society I've just been a wizard. Now, in the span of an hour I've discovered a secret third parent, learned that I'm a special type of werewolf, and apparently twelve year old me picked the last girl that would ever want to be with me to be my mate. No offense intended, but you'd better give me time and space or someone is going to be in a lot of pain."

Remus sighed. "Harry," he said softly. "If it helps, Hermione doesn't know that you've claimed her, and you do not have to tell her immediately.

Harry blinked, his face almost blank. "Wow, what a wonderful thing to hear," he said, his tone think with his famous sarcasm. "If you don't mind, I'm gonna go celebrate that amazing news alone in my room!" Before Remus or Sirius could say anything more, Harry launched himself out of the dining room and all the way up the stairs to his room.

Remus sighed with his head in his hands. "Why did I ever make that bloody vow?" He whined. "I should have said no. I should have taken him from the Dursleys' when he was a baby and raised him myself. I should have told him the truth from the start! He should have grown up knowing what would happen after he turned fifteen."

Padfoot walked up to Remus and put a hand on the werewolf's shoulder. "He's not angry Moony, I can tell you for sure that he wasn't lying about that. He understands and he isn't tossing around blame or anything else like that. The problem he's facing is adjustment. Every time Harry turns around he finds out something new that shatters everything he was led to believe. This time there was a lot more to digest than he's used to and it contradicted damn near everything he has experienced in his life."

Remus nodded. "How long do you think it will take for him to adjust? He doesn't have long before his first transformation."

Sirius shrugged. "There's no way to know for sure, but if we approach him too soon, or maybe even before he approaches us, it will probably take him much longer."

As Harry shut his door behind himself, he was surprised to see Hermione sitting on top of his desk. "What are you doing in my room, Hermione?" He asked of her, unable to hold back his frustration influenced tone.

Hermione leaned forward and slid off the desk, her feet hitting the ground and holding her up with no issue. Harry did his best to stay focused, but he couldn't help thinking the way that she slid off his desk and walked toward him made her look more sensual than all of his fantasies combined. "I wanted to apologize," she admitted softly, finally coming to a stop only a couple steps away from Harry.

Harry's hands were shaking a bit so he hid them in his pockets. "Apologize for what?" He asked, his frustration gone, at the very least from his voice.

Hermione took a deep breath. "I have had several opportunities to tell you what Remus finally told you tonight, and I didn't." Harry nodded slowly and opened his mouth to speak, only to be met with Hermione's lifted hand, politely demanding silence. "I do not regret my silence strictly because it was not my secret to tell, but it would be wrong of me to not acknowledge that it was unfair for you to have been kept in the dark for so long."

Harry nodded again. "Thank you Hermione," he began and gazed deeply into her eyes. "But there's no need to apologize. For once, I'm not angry, I just need a little time by myself."

Hermione bit her lip and nodded ever so slightly before bowing her head. "Please don't hide away for very long Harry. I've missed you terribly, especially since I began the animagus training."

Harry's eyes shifted from emerald green to bright, glowing gold and he growled lowly. Hermione looked up into his eyes and gasped in surprise at the unexpected change in color. "H-Harry?" She gasped and his hands were suddenly on her waist. "Are you okay?" She asked softly.

Harry nodded slowly. "Are you afraid of me?" He asked.

"Of course not!" Hermione nearly breathed the words and lunged forward to hug him.

Harry inhaled her scent as he held Hermione against him. He growled again at the pleasant smells of vanilla, cinnamon, honey, and old books emanating from the lovely brunette in his arms. "You smell beautiful, Hermione." Hermione blushed at the compliment and relaxed completely in his arms. "Stay with me? Please?"

"You said you needed time alone, Harry."

"Starting in the morning. I don't want to be alone tonight Mione, and right now I want to hold you."

Hermione nodded slowly and began to let go of Harry. "It's a good thing I want to be held tonight." She smiled softly at him. "You should probably get comfortable, Harry." As she crawled under the blankets and sheets on Harry's bed, Harry slid his jeans off and kicked off his shoes before sliding in next to Hermione and wrapping his arms around her.

Though Hermione would not admit it aloud, she has never felt more comfortable, and had never felt more right than she did in that moment, curled up with her best friend. Harry held his tongue, wanting to tell Hermione how badly he wanted to be with her, but too afraid to vocalize his desires. Yet despite their secret feelings for one another, they both drifted off to sleep in mere minutes as they were too comfortable to resist as sleep overtook them.


End file.
